9th to 13th July 1771

More or less everything available to me has now been posted on this site, however, I will be leaving it for research purposes for the forseeable future. Comments on individual entries are, of course, still very welcome. I will seek to answer questions within a day or so.

[With India Fleet, Homeward Bound]

9th. Fore and middle parts a Gentle breeze, and thick, Foggy

weather; remainder, a fresh Breeze and Cloudy. A swell from the

North-North-West all day. Wind South Westerly; course North 21 degrees

East; distance 100 miles; latitude 48 degrees 19 minutes North, longitude

8 degrees 1 minute West per Account, 8 degrees 7 minutes per Observation.

10th. Pleasant breezes and Clear weather. At 6 o'Clock in the

Morning sounded, and Struck ground in 60 fathoms Shells and Stones, by

which I judged we were the length of Scilly Isles. At Noon we saw land

from the Mast Head, bearing North, which we judged to be about the Land's

End. Soundings 54 fathoms, Coarse, Grey Sand. Wind Westerly; course North

44 degrees East; distance 97 miles; latitude 49 degrees 29 minutes North,

longitude 6 degrees 18 minutes West.

11th. Steady fresh breezes and clear weather. At 2 in the P.M.

saw the Lizardland, and at 6 o'clock the lighthouse bore North-West,

distant 5 Leagues, we being at this time, by my reckoning, in the

Longitude of 5 degrees 30 minutes West; soon after 2 Ships under their

Topsails between us and the land, which we took for Men of War. At 7

o'clock in the morning the Start Point bore North-West by North, distant

3 Leagues, and at Noon we reckon'd ourselves about 5 Leagues short of

Portland. This Forenoon a small cutter built vessel came under our Stern,

and inquir'd after the India Fleet, which, they said, they were cruizing

for and had not seen.

12th. Winds at South-West, a fresh Gale, with which we run

briskly up Channel. At 1/2 past 3 p.m. passed the Bill of Portland, and

at 7 Peverell Point; at 6 a.m. passed Beachy head at the distance of 4 or

5 miles; at 10 Dungeness, at the distance of 2 miles, and at Noon we were

abreast of Dover.

13th. At 3 o'clock in the P.M. anchor'd in the Downs, and soon

after I landed in order to repair to London.

(Signed) JAMs COOK.